[Annuit.Coeptis]

"Technical Help"? Sure, maybe this is the right category. I'd like to raise my hand and bring to the forum's attention a "funny" I just encountered.


I finally tackled something I've wanted to do since I got the bike a year-and-a-half ago: Replacing the damaged original fender. I intended this afternoon to do a bunch of small tasks on the bike, as well as a ten-minute front fender replacement. INSTEAD, I did nothing, plus a 2-1/2-hour front fender replacement. The [bleeping] mounting holes on both the right and left sides of the new mudguard were about 1/8" farther apart than the bolt holes on the forks. There was much drilling and filing of the mudguard required.

Apart from the hole spacing, the two fenders were identical, with the single exception that the rubber retaining loop for the speedo cable is larger (more elongated) on the new fender. I understand perfectly well that when eBayland sells you a "1981 CX500 Deluxe Front Fender", it may not be entirely informed and/or truthful in its description. But, c'mon now, just HOW many otherwise-identical CX500 front fenders can there [bleeping] BE?!?

Or, to put it more seriously, do we know on which bikes Honda changed the spacing on the fender mounting bolt holes? I have read everything I can find on parts interchangeability and I can recall nothing about this particular issue.

 

[CXPHREAK]

Maybe the arch between the bolt holes has been squashed a little, moving the bolt holes apart?

Or maybe the guard is from a 500C which uses a larger diameter fork?

 

[Annuit.Coeptis]

Hmmm... Could be. I'll act like the engineer-in-training I'm supposed to be--tomorrow. I'll take a caliper to the two thingies and report back.

I owned an '81 Custom 10 years ago, and more and more often I think how useful it would be to have access to both the Custom and the Deluxe at the same time. (This may be how dangerous garage accretion habits start. One must be cautious.)

 

[CXPHREAK]

I've got standards and a 500C in the shed.

Only trouble is my 81 500C has standard forks.

Don't know whether this is normal for the Australian market or if the forks have been replaced.

 

[Annuit.Coeptis]

"Tomorrow" got delayed until today. Anyhow, the calipers came out and...

My 1981 CX500D (confirmed by VIN JH2PC0114BM2-etc.) had forks/mudguard mounting bolt holes about 42 mm on-centre.

The replacement "CX500D" (in eBay-speak) fender arrived with bolt holes about 45 mm on-centre. I take it that makes it a fender off a Custom. Regardless, I took it and made it a fender on a Deluxe.